This is something special. This is a fairly early work by Christopher Willcock SJ. It has all his hallmarks – gorgeous off kilter melodies, modulations all over the place and suitable texts – what’s not to like if you are up for it.
I can find no sign of this one anywhere except CWB I. If you want to use it you might have to find him through the local Jesuits, as it it not on One Licence.
This one has a call and response between the choir and the assembly during the refrain, with all singing the verses. With no idea what it is meant to sound like and no sheet music beyond my melody line edition I just monumentally fudged chords and timing. It appears to go 4/4, 7/8 in the refrain, which I smoothed out.
I suspect it was originally a commissioning hymn but made more accessible in this way, maybe it could be resurrected as a welcoming entrance or challenging recessional. The pilgrim reference suits this year’s Jubilee.
Refrain
Be in the midst of us, we who believe.
Gather and shepherd us, we who believe.
Tell out God’s word to us, we who believe.
Worship and pray with us, we who believe.
1 You are Christ’s servant now, bearer of God’s good news,
Worker for unity, pilgrim with those you guide.
2 May God the Father’s Son, Christ our redeeming Lord,
Be through your ministry praised, honoured and adored.
Hi Geoff,
I quite like it! Left field as usual from this composer. That’s the problem though. It’s what I would call “musician’s music”, intellectual rather than accessible.
I have CWB I accompaniment edition.
It is, as you say, 4/4>7/8 in the first section , then 4/4 in the second section.
Sherry
Sherry
Maybe it is for choirs and cathedrals.
Treasure your accompaniment version. I actually made these backings some time ago and while the full music would have helped, it was fun filling in the gaps.
Geoff